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  • Author Author: tariq.ahmad
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1980's Cathode Ray Oscilloscope -- The EIectronics Inside 34

 

 

Most people will know an old tube TV, some will know tube oscilloscopes. But how many have seen the insides of a late 80s high quality scope? Will there be any surprises in this broken model?

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  • I've got an oldish (probably 90s-early 00s) scope that came from a medical imaging center sitting on the parts shelf. Thinking of turning it into a mini vector arcade machine (a la Vectrex). At least I'll know more or less what to expect when I open it!

  • in reply to airbornesurfer

    When researching the "pong on a chip" episode I seem to remember that's how pong came about? During a public open day at a research lab, a technician knocked up something to show a basic version of pong to demonstrate what it could do. Or something like that **Citation needed** - if I find a reference, I'll shout!

    I got to play a Vectrex a couple of years pack at the Science Museum, they are soo diffrent to other CRT displays!


  • in reply to a531016

    "...When researching the "pong on a chip" episode I seem to remember that's how pong came about?..."

     

    I recall that the Spacewar! video game on the DEC PDP-1 used a CRT display based on RADAR screen technology. ( 1024x1024 graphics resolution in the late 50's / early 60s. )

     

    Lyle Bickley explains the PDP-1 (and we play the original Spacewar!)

    https://youtu.be/1EWQYAfuMYw?t=725

     

    I also seem to recall that the PDP-1 had oscilloscopes as a display option as well.

     

    Some of the early CAD program development used oscilloscopes in conjunction with light pens and GPIO buttons for user interfacing.

     

    Ivan Sutherland Sketchpad Demo

    https://youtu.be/6orsmFndx_o?t=210

  • in reply to a531016

    I think you're referring to Tennis for Two--which was basically Pong, but played on an old radar scope! Vectrex was probably my first exposure to video games. My dentist had one in the waiting room, and I loved playing it! I finally relived a childhood dream when I found one for cheap(ish) on eBay from a seller nearby. It's a great little system, and I plan on posting about it later. Maybe I'll stream some games on Twitch!

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Spacewar! The king grandaddy of all video games! I didn't realize it ran on a PDP-1! I think that's why I love the "retro" tech--there's so much just clever engineering that went into physically wrangling electrons to get them to do what you wanted, and everything is so visceral that you can almost feel the programs running step by step!

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